This edition of AI Newsletter is a mix of industry trends, management tips, staff news, Interns’ and Host Organisations’ profiles, providing you with a diversity of subjects and insights which truly reflects what we are trying to achieve here at Australian Internships.

MOTIVATION MATTERS: HOW CAN YOU KEEP YOUR INTERNS ENERGIZED AND MOTIVATED?

According to BHEngagement.com “90% of business leaders believe that an engagement strategy could positively impact their business, yet only 25% of them actually have a strategy in place”. Why do we all want engaged team members??? Ultimately, having an engaged team leads to increased business performance!

Interns can act as a catalyst for positivity and motivation in a workplace. Did you know most interns sacrifice thousands of dollars and endless months (if not years) of planning and for many of them travelling half way around the globe before they enter your workplace! Getting your interns to be exited about their work will make their tasks seems easier and they will perform better – in turn, positive and enthusiastic young interns can impact on the rest of the team.

So what are the secret tips of the trade with how to keep your interns engages and motivated? Here are a few top tips the team at AI have put together:

1. Make things clear! Clear direction is the road to success! Make sure that your interns are provided with a clear overview of what their tasks/projects/responsibilities are in addition to training and a clear overview on what the business expectation are! Then, set them free to work on the project at hand.

2. Have Faith! Trusting in your interns’ skills and abilities will empower them to take control of their tasks and projects. The more trust and autonomy you entrust to your interns the more you will see them flourish in the workplace! (Note… make sure to follow step 1 before starting on step 2 or disaster may follow!).

3. Communication is key to success! Open the communication channels and ensure to have a good flow of communication back and forth with your interns. Provide them with feedback on a task well done, or help redirect them when they you see them veering off course. Include your interns in training sessions, memos, newsletters, FAQs, and regular meetings and make sure that there is someone in the business available to guide them. Remember when you were new to the workplace and things were a little daunting? Let them ask questions and give them guidance.

4. Get to know them! AI interns hail from over 80 countries and many of them speak 2 or 3 languages (putting some of us Aussies to shame). Do you know your interns backstory? Where they came from? What they have overcome to gain entry to the Australian workplace? Get to know them. Sometimes, you will discover that your intern has hidden talents, passion and skills that you would never have imagined. Getting to know them will empower you to allocate appropriate tasks and projects to them and create a bond that can sometimes last a lifetime.

5. Reward and recognise a job well done! Recent studies by Forbes show that 70% of companies found that recognition can boost retention, engagement, and revenue. A little recognition can go a long way. Congratulate interns on a job well done. If you can, offer them a small reward – a coffee, free lunch or something bigger, the call is yours!

Finally, keep it simple! Remember that your intern is a young professional that has applied for an internship as he/she is committed to further developing his/her skills in the workplace and furthering his/her career! Have fun and enjoy the time that they are with you… who know where the internship could lead them (or you!).

Marketing Eye provides small to medium sized businesses with Senior Marketing Directors and Marketing Consultants without the high costs of an agency or the commitment of a full-time marketing manager. In today's highly competitive market, businesses focus on growth requires results-driven marketing to drive sales. Marketing specialists are also available for short-term projects including brand building, public relations, strategy, lead generation and product launch campaigns. Renowned professionals with industry specific expertise, our marketing directors enable your business to immediately benefit from an expert who will 'hit the ground running' and bring. Marketing Eye is location in Woolloomooloo NSW and Casey Lang tell us her experience with the interns.

What is the best thing about having international interns at your organisation?Having international interns who bring a different perspective and rich knowledge of their country’s language and culture is a valuable asset in the world of marketing. It ensures we always stay fresh and on our toes and it helps us to strategize and think creatively from a whole other perspective. This is a huge benefit to the company, as the creativity and innovation brought together through the collaboration of different cultures, triggered through diverse experience, differing points of view and perspectives always creates new insights into our work.

Do you have any funny stories about an intern you’ve hosted, or an exceptional intern that you’d like to tell us about?

We’ve been very lucky to have many lovely interns. This last year, I had the pleasure of working with a group of exceptional ladies, always punctual, polite and efficient. However one particular morning, they did not arrive on time, which was highly unusual, after twenty or so minutes I was becoming quite annoyed. Whilst I was in the process of writing them a rather frustrated email about time constraints and the importance of punctuality, I heard giggling coming from the other end of the office. Slightly bemused, I went to find out where the noise was coming from, as I turned the corner to the board room, I was greeted by the ladies singing happy birthday, they had gotten wind that it was my birthday and had bought a cake to celebrate!

What do you like about having Australian Internships providing and supporting your interns?

Australian Internships shows that they are the global leader of the internship program and they provide our business with enthusiastic interns from around the globe. They provide passionate interns and believe in the power of transformation through experience.The programs that AI arranges are customized to meet the student’s academic and professional needs. Australian Internships has a commitment to a high level of personal support and professional services for our company. The management and staff of AI are industry specialists dedicated to the growth and promotion of international education for Australia.

Australian Internships are pleased to present July’s Intern of the Month Randi Dehipitiya. Randi has a highly impressive educational background having recently completed her Masters of Information Technology (Business Intelligence) through the University of South Australia. She is looking for a 12 week internship in Sydney. A real superstar, Randi has also completed a Masters of Information and Communication Technology Management (Enterprise Systems) through the University of South Australia and a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology with prior work experience as an Assistant Business Analyst for A-team Software in South Australia. Randi volunteered as a Mentor at the University of South Australia and has been described as presenting as lovely, intelligent and has a really positive outlook.

Randi is available for a full 12 week unpaid internship and is available July 18th, she has her own reliable vehicle and amazing English – near Native speaker!Please contact Megan Offord directly to arrange a personal interview or an immediate phone interview to speak with Randi: megan@internships.com.au.

According to the latest data and reporting from the Australian Trade Commission, Australia is currently the 12th largest economy globally despite having only 0.3 % of the world’s population! The Benchmark Report for 2016 provides outstanding forecasting with our growth rate being the highest among major advanced economies!

The productivity rates of Australian Industry sectors shows that we are still performing above the average productivity rates globally in areas where we previously had a significant downturn in past years. Despite this decrease, we still have above average productivity in industries such as Mining, Health, Tourism and Oil with our five strongest growth areas for the year to date being: Information Media and Telecommunications (5.3%) Financial and Insurance Services (5%) Construction (4.6) Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (4.5%) and Mining (4.4%).

The report states that “Australia is globally successful in five significant and diverse sectors: agribusiness, education, tourism, mining and wealth management.”

The demand in these industries is the catalyst for the success that Australia is experiencing in trade and investment both nationally and internationally. Australian Internships work closely with hosting partners across all of these sectors. Our contribution to the Education Sector is significant and our exemplary students are looking for placements across all industries. With major companies across Australia currently looking abroad for trade exploration, development and investment, our interns can provide a platform as it is a great opportunity to develop networking relationship opportunities and is certainly viewed very favourably by Industry in those locations for future negotiations. There is also the additional benefit of having someone who is multi-lingual!

Please contact our office to learn more about becoming a host organisation and experiencing the valuable contribution our interns bring to industry in Australia!

SYDNEY: WINTER FESTIVAL

The Winter Festival is a festivity that you won’t want to miss! Until the 17th of July St. Mary's Road will welcome a European-style market but also a big range of activities and entertainments such as a skating rink, a snow play and tobogganing! It’s also a nice place to enjoy some live music while savouring some winter delicacies!

MELBOURNE: RUN MELBOURNE

On the 24th of July, join thousands of runners and participate in one of the various raises organised. Run or walk for 5km, challenge yourself running 10km, or even participate in the Brooks Half-marathon! There is a race adapted to everyone, and even better, you will run to raise funds for the Charity organisation of your choice!

BRISBANE: THE FRENCH FESTIVAL

From the 8th to the 10th of July, South Bank will become blue, white and red! During those three days “Le Festival” will celebrate the French culture by proposing wine and cheese! Markets will also propose fashion, food and other French products. It’s a great way to get ready for Bastille Day on the 14th of July, the most famous French national holiday!

ALICE SPRINGS: CAMEL CUP

The Alice Springs camel Cup is an iconic race in the Northern territory, but also beyond! Racing one of those “ships of the desert” can become a nightmare for riders and handlers, but create a hilarious show for spectators! The Camel Cup is held on the 9th of July at Blatherskite Park. Don’t miss the show!